FLIGHT JANUARY 25TH, 1945
simile, that even some of these may turn out to be less
of marriages than the association of gangsters and their
"molls," but that is by the way. Lord Swinton did
quite right in stressing what had been achieved at
Chicago rather than what was left undone. There is
indeed quite a bit on the right side of the balance sheet.
Perhaps the greatest good that came out of Chicago
on the political side was, as Lord Rothermere said, the
way in which it brought members of the British
Commonwealth of Nations together, even if the road
travelled may be said to have been an unnecessarily
tortuous one. The establishment of a Commonwealth
Air Transport Council with a permanent secretariat is a
good first step, and, as Lord Elibank very rightly pointed
out, should ensure that there is continuity of policy.
Flying GearI
T is surprising that more dissatisfaction has not been
expressed by aircrews with the out-of-date flying
equipment they have to wear. The interiors of
bombers are models of discomfort where passengers are
concerned, but until one has done oneself up in flotation
jacket, parachute harness, helmet with earphones and
oxygen mask, and tried to move from one part of the
aircraft to another, it is impossible to imagine just how
inconvenient it all is.
Like so many things which are typically British, this
outfit is the outcome of almost imperceptible change
over a long period. As new designs and functions have
arrived, so extra bits and pieces have been added.
To all intents and purposes, the present flying helmet
is identical with the original headgear worn by the Royal
Flying Corps thirty years ago. The ear rolls have been
removed ; earphones take their place, and there has been
added the oxygen mask-cum-rnicrophone. This arrange-
ment was almost ideal when all military aircraft had
open cockpits, but in the modern bomber, where cabin
heating is obtainable at will, it is little short of an abomi-
nation. Even if a machine is flying at 2,500ft. on a hot
summer's day, the crew have to wear the complete fly-
ing helmet and oxygen mask because there is no other
means of listening to the R/T or even using the inter-
communication system between members of the crew.
CONTENTS
The Outlook - - - - -
War in the Air -
Here and There * ....
With the Higher-ups
Monocoques - - -
Rootes, Branches and Shadows
Air Transport Economics
Lord Swinton Reports -
" Passenger-conscious " Pilots
Sing-le-float Seaplanes ...
M.A.P. Chief Executive Retires
Correspondence
Service Aviation -
83
85
88
90
94
97
98
99
101
102
103
104
106
Flying helmets must always be carried in the aircraft in
case oxygen height or flak damage should make them
necessary, but comfortable headphones and a throat-
type microphone would be more suitable for much of
the flying in modem enclosed aircraft. For Coastal
Command, anyway, who seldom fly over 3,000ft., a
separate oxygen mask would suffice on the rare occasions
when they do fry high.
Air gunners sitting in draughty turrets still want flying
helmets, and for the same reason still want fur-lined
clothes, but it seems to us that the time has come to
give each member of an aircrew a tout ensemble specially
designed for the job he has to perform. The parachute
harness should be incorporated in a special overall of
material suited to the temperatures most likely to be
met, and even the flotation jacket might with advantage
be an integral part of it.
A few years ago the Royal Air Force issued some fly-
ing suits which were promptly dubbed "rompers" by
the aircrews. They were an attempt to solve the prob-
lem. It is not clear why they came into disfavour. They
were a combination suit with shortlegpand arms, and
the parachute harness was sewn-in intomially. The only
parts of the harness carried externally were the breast
clips for attachin^tTTe"caxppy.
At present .aircrews spertd tJiCir flying hours looking
like pouter .|Ht£eons and feey^g like trussed fowls.
ON THE RAJAH'S ROUND-DOWN : An amazing photograph of a Barracuda losing its tail wheel while attempting to alighton the escort carrier H.M.S. Rajah. The aircraft struck the round-down with its tail, broke off the wheel and could not land-on.
The rudder jammed full on and the Barracuda could only fly in circles. The pilot was rescued unhurt after " ditching."